now on view in all of them haarlemmers: painting of the moucheron

Our museum welcomes a special painting to the exhibition All Haarlemmers. Savings wood (ca. 1720–1730) by Isaac de Moucheron is on long-term loan from art dealer Andrew Whitham.

The painting shows the Zuider Buiten Spaarne from the Noord-Schalkwijkerweg. On the right bank, the country estate Spaarenhout is visible, with a tea house on the spot where a rebuilt version now stands. The adjacent Oosterhout is largely hidden behind the trees, and to the south of it there is no development to be seen. On the horizon, next to a high ship's sail, is the gallows, which at the time was located between the current Breitnerweg and Weissenbruchweg. At the bottom right, the artist himself is depicted, absorbed in his work, while on the left, tree trunks are tied together over the water to form a wooden raft.

The country estate, which was given the name Spaarenhout in 1720, came into the hands of the Stichting Huize Spaar en Hout in 1927. This foundation converted it into a rest home for the elderly 'from the civilised class, in particular from Mennonite backgrounds.' The home opened in May 1930 and remains a care institution to this day.

Isaac de Moucheron: painter, engraver and architect
The Amsterdam artist Isaac de Moucheron (1667-1744) was a versatile talent. He became famous mainly as a painter of wallpapers for Amsterdam patrician houses, but his paintings and prints can be admired in museums worldwide. As an architect and garden designer, he also had a great interest in country estates, which often return in his work.

The painting Savings wood gives an impression of the Haarlemlandscape in the 18th century and is a valuable addition to our presentation of local histories. Come and see it now in All Haarlemmers!